SAA is located approximately 2,900 kilometers under the African continentright between South America and southwest Africa. This particular corner makes our satellites very vulnerable when they pass by there. They risk short circuits or other pesky technological failures. Operators often have no choice but to temporarily turn off certain systems to avoid major damage. NASA even reported losing a lot of data because of it.
What does the latest research say?
NASA is not idle on the subject! In 2016a study led by Ashley Greeley, specialist in heliophysics, allowed us to know a little more about this famous SAA. CubeSats then took over to observe all this, with a significant publication in 2021. Another study, published in July 2020suggests that this anomaly has been hanging around for approximately 11 million years — that’s how good she is!
Earth’s magnetic field comes from the swirling movement of liquid iron in our outer core. But there is a large, dense rock called the “African Low Shear Velocity Province” that is playing spoilsport in this region. Result: the dominant dipole field weakens and gives way to an inverted localized field.
The anomaly is moving slowly but showing intriguing signs: it seems to be splitting into two distinct parts, which could influence the auroras visible from here. Terry Sabaka, geophysicist at NASA, explains that “the magnetic field is actually a superposition of fields coming from many sources”, thus highlighting the complexity of the phenomenon.
And tomorrow? Should we be worried?
For those who fear a global reversal of the Earth’s magnetic field due to SAA, rest assured: researchers do not think this is imminent. Weijia Kuang, geophysicist and mathematician at NASA, specifies that “the observed weakening can also be seen as a consequence of the decrease in the dominant dipole field”. It is therefore essential for scientists to continue to monitor this anomaly to anticipate its developments.
The continued study of the South Atlantic Anomaly remains essential not only to better understand our planet but also to ensure the safety of current and future space missions. This phenomenon reminds us how vital it is to invest in scientific research in order to be ready for future technological challenges and protect our space infrastructure against these invisible but powerful mysteries that surround our globe.
A reaction? Leave a comment
Did you like this article? Subscribe to our free Newsletter for engaging articles, exclusive content and the latest news.
Belgium
